A U.S. Border Patrol agent was shot and killed in northern Vermont Monday afternoon, the FBI said in a statement later that evening.
The shooting took place on Interstate 91 in Coventry, Vt., roughly 20 miles south of the U.S.-Canada border, according to The Associated Press.
The FBI is investigating the incident as “an alleged assault on a federal officer in connection with a fatal shooting,” according to the FBI Albany statement.
The statement indicated that, along with one agent, one subject was killed and a second subject was injured and is in custody.
The FBI said there is no ongoing threat to the public but that the investigation is “active” and that officials would notify the public of more details as they became available. The FBI said it was working with Border Patrol officials and Vermont State Police to investigate the case.
Benjamine Huffman, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, confirmed the agent’s death in a statement, the AP reported.
“Every single day, our Border Patrol agents put themselves in harm’s way so that Americans and our homeland are safe and secure,” Huffman said in a statement, describing the death as occurring “in the line of duty.”
The Vermont Congressional delegation – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), Sen. Peter Welch (D) and at-large Rep. Becca Balint (D) – issued a statement offering condolences to the agent’s family and to the Border Patrol. They thanked the first responders and emergency medical service providers who responded to the scene.
“Border Patrol agents do important work protecting our borders. They deserve our full support in terms of staffing, pay and working conditions,” they wrote in the statement. “We look forward to working with the agency to make sure that they have all the resources they need to do the enormously important work that is their responsibility.”
“Together, we must do everything possible to prevent future tragedies like what happened today,” they continued.
